Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 formerly known, Atari Video Computer System, is a game console released by Atari Inc. in October 1977. It was one of the consoles appearing in the second generation of video games. The console went from 1977 to 1982 when the Atari 5200 was released. It is one of the first consoles to use cartridges that contain game code. It is said that the 2600 was the first console to use the plug in idea. The controls include two joysticks and pair of paddle controls. The 2600 was largely successful becoming the best selling video game console of its time and Atari had become a regular name among many people. Design and Creation and Release Atari Inc. were looking into next generation video game systems by giving the job to Cyan Engineering to research on it. They built a prototype which they called Stella which the core was made into a complete CPU. The total chip count became four. While most video game and computer programming were stored on disk and cassette tape, Atari Inc. decided to put the programming of the games on cartridges. Bushnell sold the company to Time Warner to get the system to produced fast. Later a chip designer put an entire load of equipment making Tia into a single chip. In 1977 it was released and ready for shipping. The price for the VCS was 199 in the U.S> and the pack in game was Combat. During this time the VCS took on the Fairfield VCS (Video Computer System). Many companies went out of business for their numerous Pong clones leaving Atari and Fairfield selling games to the public. The VCs was nicknamed the "Heavy Sixers" for having six switches on the front. Soon more and more people stared buying the 2600s. Fairfield left the industry and Atari Inc. had no real competition. As of Christmas of 1979 the 2600 was selling as the best Christmas gift selling over 1 million units. Then the Atari VCS became known as the 2600. became rally know Sears continued selling these calling them Tele-Games. However developers of games for the 2600 started making games that were sold poorly and mocked by people. Atari Inc. had developed a game based off the movie E.T. Extra Terrestrial but the game became known as the worst video game in history. A company called Mystique developed the game Custer's Revenge, a pornographic game. Many people including Native Americans and woman's rights movements became angry at this game calling the game a simulation of rape. However the Atari 2600 continued to sell through out the years even though the Atari 5200 was introduced in 1982. The Atari 2600 was redesigned many times and really discontinued in 1992. It is the longest running video game console of all time and has sold more than 40 million units as of 2004. List of Games on the Atari 2600 Some of the game released on the Atari 2600 have been remade from the original arcade games. A *''A Mysterious Thief'' (Vidco) - Prototype *''A-Team'' (Atari) - Prototype *''Acid Drop'' (Salu Ltd) - 1992 - a puzzle game; the last official game in the Atari 2600's lifespan *''Actionauts''(Atari)- 2008 (Originally supposed to be released in 1983) *''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Mystery'' (M-Network) - Prototype *''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Treasure of Tarmin'' (M-Network) - Prototype *''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (M-Network) *''Adventure'' (Atari) - 1979 *''Adventures of the Pink Panther'' (Probe 2000) - Prototype *''Adventures of Tron'' (M-Network) - 1982 *''Airlock'' (Data Age) - 1982 - an action game; It received mediocre reviews from critics.http://www.atariage.com/software_page.html?SystemID=2600&SoftwareLabelID=980 *''Air Raid'' (MenAVision) *''Air Raiders'' (M-Network) - 1982 *''Air-Sea Battle'' (Atari) - 1977 *''Alien'' (20th Century Fox) - 1982 *''Alien's Return'' (Home Vision) - 1983 *''Alligator People'' (20th Century Fox) - Prototype *''Alpha Beam with Ernie'' (Atari) - 1983 *''Amidar'' (Parker Brothers) - 1982 *''Anteater'' (M-Network) - Prototype *''Aquaventure'' (Atari) - Prototype *''Arcade Pinball'' (Sears) *''Armor Ambush'' (M-Network) - 1982 *''Artillery Duel/Chuck Norris Superkicks'' (Xonox) - 1983 *''Artillery Duel/Ghost Manor'' (Xonox) - 1983 *''Artillery Duel/Spike's Peak'' (Xonox) - 1983 *''Artillery Duel'' (Xonox) - 1983 *''Assault'' (Bomb) - 1983 *''Asterix'' (PAL) (Atari) - 1983 *''Asteroids'' (Atari) - 1981 *''Astrosmash'' (M-Network) - 1982 *''Atari Video Cube'' (Atari) - 1983 *''Atlantis'' (Imagic) - 1982 *''Atlantis II'' (Imagic) - 1982 B *''BMX Airmaster'' (TNT Games) - 1989 *''Bachelor Party'' (Mystique) - 1983 *''Bachelorette Party'' (Mystique) - 1983 *''Backgammon'' (Atari) - 1979 *''Bank Heist'' (20th Century Fox) - 1983 *''Bank Heist'' (Action Hi-Tech) *''Barnstorming'' (Activision) - 1982 *''Basic Math'' (Atari) - 1977 *''Basic Programming'' (Atari) - 1979 *''Basketball'' (Atari) - 1978 *''Battlezone'' (Atari) - 1983 *''Beamrider'' (Activision) - 1984 *''Beany Bopper'' (20th Century Fox) - 1982 *''Beat Em and Eat Em'' (Mystique) - 1983 *''Bermuda Triangle'' (Data Age) - 1982 *''Berzerk'' (Atari) - 1982 *''Big Bird's Egg Catch'' (Atari) - 1983 *''Bionic Breakthrough'' (Atari) - Prototype *''Blackjack'' (Atari) - 1977 *''Bloody Human Freeway'' (Activision) - Prototype *''Blue Print'' (CBS Electronics) - 1982 *''Bobby Is Going Home'' (Bit Corporation) - 1983 *''Boing!'' (First Star Software) - 1983 *''Boggle'' (Atari) - Prototype *''Bouncing Baby Bunnies'' (Telesys) - Prototype *''Bowling'' (Atari) - 1979 *''Boxing'' (Activision) - 1980 *''Brain Games'' (Atari) - 1978 *''Breakaway IV'' (Sears) - 1978 *''Breakout'' (Atari) - 1978 *''Bridge'' (Activision) - 1981 *''Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom'' (Sega) - 1983 *''Bugs'' (Data Age) - 1982 *''Bugs Bunny'' (Atari) - Prototype *''Bump 'n' Jump'' (M-Network) - 1983 *''Bumper Bash'' (Spectravision) - 1983 *''Burgertime'' (M-Network) - 1983 *''Burning Desire'' (Playaround) - 1983 *''Busy Police'' (Zellers) - 1983 C *''Cabbage Patch Kids'' (Coleco) - Prototype *''Cakewalk'' (Commavid) - 1983 *''Canyon Bomber'' (Atari) - 1979 *''California Games'' (Epyx) - 1987 *''Carnival'' (Coleco) - 1982 *''Cathouse Blues'' (Playaround) - 1982 *''Casino'' (Atari) - 1979 *''Centipede'' (Atari) - 1982 *''Challenge'' (Funvision) *''Challenge of Nexar'' (Spectravision) - 1982 *''Championship Soccer'' (Atari) - 1980 *''Chase'' (Sears) *''Chase the Chuck Wagon'' (Spectravision) - 1983 *''Checkers'' (Activision) - 1981 *''China Syndrome'' (Spectravision) - 1983 *''Chopper Command'' (Activision) - 1982 *''Chuck Norris Superkicks/Ghost Manor'' (Xonox) - 1983 *''Chuck Norris Superkicks/Spike's Peak'' (Xonox) - 1983 *''Chuck Norris Superkicks'' (Xonox) - 1983 *''Circus'' (Sears) *''Circus Atari'' (Atari) - 1980 *''Coconuts'' (Telesys) - 1982 *''Codebreaker'' (Atari) - 1978 *''Combat'' (Atari) - 1977 *''Combat Two'' (Atari) - Prototype *''Commando'' (Activision) - 1988 *''Commando Raid'' (US Games) - 1982 *''Communist Mutants from Space'' (Cassette) (Starpath) - 1982 *''Concentration'' (Atari) - 1978 *''Condor Attack'' (Ultravision) - 1983 *''Congo Bongo'' (Sega) - 1983 *''Cookie Monster Munch'' (Atari) - 1983 *''Cosmic Ark'' (Imagic) - 1982 *''Cosmic Commuter'' (Activision) - 1985 *''Cosmic Corridor'' (Zimag) - 1983 *''Cosmic Creeps'' (Telesys) - 1982 *''Cosmic Free Fire'' (Action Hi-Tech) *''Cosmic Swarm'' (CommaVid) - 1982 *''Crab Control'' (Action Hi-Tech) *''Crackpots'' (Activision) - 1983 *''Crash Dive'' (20th Century Fox) - 1983 *''Crazy Climber'' (Atari) - 1983 *''Cross Force'' (Spectravision) - 1983 *''Crossbow'' (Atari) - 1988 *''Cruise Missile'' (Froggo) - 1987 *''Crypts of Chaos'' (20th Century Fox) - 1982 *''Crystal Castles'' (Atari) - 1984 *''Custer's Revenge'' (Mystique) - 1983 D *''Dancing Plate'' (Bit Corporation) - 1982 *''Dare Diver'' (Sears) *''Dark Cavern'' (M-Network) - 1982 *''Dark Chambers'' (Atari) - 1988 *''Deadly Discs'' (Telegames) - 1983 *''Deadly Duck'' (20th Century Fox) - 1982 *''Death Trap'' (Avalon Hill) - 1983 *''Decathlon'' (Activision) - 1983 *''Deep Scan'' (Sega) - 1983 *''Defender'' (Atari) - 1982 *''Defender II'' (Atari) - 1988 *''Demolition Herby'' (Telesys) - 1983 *''Demon Attack'' (Imagic) - 1982 *''Demons to Diamonds'' (Atari) - 1982 *''Desert Falcon'' (Atari) - 1987 *''Diagnostic Cartridge'' (Atari) *''Dice Puzzle'' (Panda Computer Games) - 1983 *''Dig Dug'' (Atari) - 1983 *''Dishaster'' (Zimag) - 1982 *''Dodge 'Em'' (Atari) - 1980 *''Dodger Cars'' (Sears) - 1980 *''Dolphin'' (Activision) - 1983 *''Donald Duck's Speedboat'' (Atari) - Prototype *''Donkey Kong'' (Coleco) - 1982 *''Donkey Kong Jr'' (Coleco) - 1983 *''Double Dragon'' (Activision) - 1989 *''Double Dunk'' (Atari) - 1988 *''Dragon Treasure'' (Zellers) *''Dragonfire'' (Imagic) - 1982 *''Dragonstomper'' (cassette) (Starpath) - 1982 *''Dragster'' (Activision) - 1980 *''Dumbo's Flying Circus'' (Atari) - Prototype E *''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' (Atari) - 1982 *''Earth Attack'' (Zellers) *''Earth Dies Screaming'' (20th Century Fox) - 1982 *''Eggomania'' (US Games) - 1982 *''Elevator Action'' (Prototype) (Atari) - 1983 *''Eli's Ladder'' (Simage) - 1982 *''Encounter at L-5'' (Data Age) - 1982 *''Enduro'' (Activision) - 1983 *''Entombed'' (US Games) - 1982 *''Escape From The Mindmaster'' (Cassette) (Starpath) - 1982 *''Espial'' (Tigervision) - 1984 *''Exocet'' (Panda Computer Games) - 1983 *''Exocet Missile'' (John Sands) F *''Fall Guy'' (20th Century Fox) - Prototype *''Fantastic Voyage'' (20th Century Fox) - 1982 *''Fast Eddie'' (20th Century Fox) - 1982 *''Fast Food'' (Telesys) - 1982 *''Fatal Run'' (Atari) - 1990 *''Fathom'' (Imagic) - 1983 *''Fighter Pilot'' (Activision) - *''Final Approach'' (Apollo) - 1982 *''Fire Fighter'' (Imagic) - 1982 *''Fire Fly'' (Mythicon) *''Fireball'' (cassette) (Starpath) *''Fisher Price'' (CCE) *''Fishing Derby'' (Activision) - 1980 *''Flag Capture'' (Atari) - 1978 *''Flash Gordon'' (20th Century Fox) - 1983 *''The Fly'' (US Games) *''Football'' (Atari) - 1978 *''Frankenstein's Monster'' (Data Age) - 1983 *''Freeway'' (Activision) - 1981 *''Frogger'' (Parker Brothers) - 1982 *''Frogger, The Official'' (cassette) (Starpath) - 1983 *''Frogger II: Threeedeep!'' (Parker Brothers) - 1984 *''Frogs and Flies'' (M-Network) - 1982 *''Front Line'' (Coleco) - 1983 *''Frostbite'' (Activision) - 1983 *''Funky Fish'' (UA Limited) - Prototype *''Fun With Numbers'' (Atari) - 1978 G *''G.I. Joe: Cobra Strike'' (Parker Brothers) - 1983 *''Galaxian'' (Atari) - 1983 *''Gangster Alley'' (Spectravision) - 1983 *''Garfield'' (Atari) - Prototype *''Gas Hog'' (Spectravision) - 1983 *''Gauntlet'' (Answer Software) - 1983 *''Ghost Manor/Spike's Peak'' (Xonox) - 1983 *''Ghost Manor'' (Xonox) - 1983 *''Ghostbusters'' (Activision) - 1985 *''Ghostbusters II'' (Salu) - 1990 *''Gigolo'' (Playaround) - 1982 *''Glacier Patrol'' (Telegames) - 1983 *''Glib'' (Selchow and Righter) - 1983 *''Golf'' (Atari) - 1980 *''Golf'' (Sears) - 1980 *''Good Luck, Charlie Brown'' (Atari) - Prototype *''Gopher'' (US Games) - 1982 *''Gorf'' (CBS Electronics) - 1982 *''Grand Prix'' (Activision) - 1982 *''Gravitar'' (Atari) - 1983 *''Great Escape'' (Bomb) - 1983 *''Gremlins'' (Atari) - 1984 *''Grover's Music Maker'' (Atari) - Prototype *''Guardian'' (Apollo) - 1982 *''Gunslinger'' (Sears) - 1978 *''Gyruss'' (Parker Brothers) - 1983 H *''H.E.R.O.'' (Activision) - 1984 *''Halloween'' (Wizard Video) - 1983 *''Hangman'' (Atari) - 1978 *''Harbor Escape'' (Panda Computer Games) - 1983 *''Haunted House'' (Atari) - 1982 *''Holey Moley'' (Atari) - Prototype *''Home Run'' (Atari) - 1978 *''Human Cannonball'' (Atari) - 1979 *''Hunt & Score'' (Atari) - 1978 I *''I Want My Mommy'' (Zimag) - 1982 *''Ice Hockey'' (Activision) - 1981 *''Inca Gold'' (Zellers) *''Ikari Warriors'' (Atari) - 1990 *''Immies & Aggies'' (Zimag/Emag/VidCo) - Prototype *''In Search of the Golden Skull'' (M-Network) - Prototype *''Incredible Hulk'' (Parker Brothers) - Prototype *''Indy 500'' (Atari) - 1977 *''Infiltrate'' (Apollo) - 1982 *''International Soccer'' (M-Network) - 1982 *''Intuition'' (Tigervision) - Prototype *''Ixion'' (video game) (Sega) - Prototype J *''James Bond 007'' (Parker Brothers) - 1983 *''Jawbreaker'' (Tigervision) - 1982 *''Journey Escape'' (Data Age) - 1982 *''Joust'' (Atari) - 1983 *''Jr. Pac-Man'' (Atari) - 1986 *''Jungle Fever'' (Playaround) - 1982 *''Jungle Hunt'' (Atari) - 1983 K *''Kabobber'' (Activision) - Prototype *''Kaboom!'' (Activision) - 1981 *''Kangaroo'' (Atari) - 1983 *''Karate'' (Ultravision) - 1983 *''Keystone Kapers'' (Activision) - 1983 *''Killer Satellites'' (Cassette) (Starpath) - 1982 *''King Kong'' (Tigervision) - 1982 *''Klax'' (Atari) - 1990 *''Knight on the Town'' (Playaround) - 1982 *''Kool-Aid Man'' (M-Network) - 1983 *''Kreuzfeuer'' (Spectravision) - Prototype *''Krull'' (Atari) - 1983 *''Kung-Fu Master'' (Activision) - 1987 *''Kyphus'' (Apollo) - Prototype L *''Lady in Wading (Playaround) - 1982 *''Laser Blast'' (Activision) - 1981 *''Laser Gates'' (Imagic) - 1983 *''Laser Volley'' (Zellers) - 1983 *''Lasercade'' (20th Century Fox) - Prototype *''Lochjaw'' (Apollo) - 1982 *''Lock 'N Chase'' (M-Network) - 1982 *''Locomotion'' (M-Network) - Prototype *''London Blitz'' (Avalon Hill) - 1983 *''Lord of the Rings: Journey to Rivendell'' (Parker Brothers) - Prototype *''Lost Luggage'' (Apollo) - 1982 M *''M*A*S*H'' (20th Century Fox) - 1982 *''M.A.D.'' (US Games) - 1982 *''Magicard'' (Commavid) - 1981 *''Malagai'' (Answer Software) - 1983 *''Mangia''' (Spectravision) - 1983 *''Marauder'' (Tigervision) - 1982 *''Marine Wars'' (Konami) - 1983 *''Mario Bros.'' (Atari) - 1983 *''Mark of the Mole'' (Atari) - Prototype *''Master Builder'' (Spectravision) - 1983 *''Masters of the Universe: The Power of He-Man'' (M-Network) - 1983 *''Math'' (Sears) - 1977 *''Math Gran Prix'' (Atari) - 1982 *''Maze'' (Sears) - 1978 *''Maze Craze: A Game of Cops and Robbers'' (Atari) - 1980 *''Maze Mania'' (Sears) - 1980 *''McDonald's'' (Parker Brothers) - Prototype *''MegaBoy'' (Dynacom) *''Megaforce'' (20th Century Fox) - 1983 *''Megamania'' (Activision) - 1982 *''Meltdown'' (20th Century Fox) - Prototype *''Memory Match'' (Sears) *''Midnight Magic'' (Atari) - 1986 *''Millipede'' (Atari) - 1984 *''Miner 2049er II'' (Tigervision) - 1983 *''Miner 2049er'' (Tigervision) - 1982 *''Mines of Minos'' (CommaVid) - 1983 *''Miniature Golf'' (Atari) - 1979 *''Miss Piggy's Wedding'' (Atari) - Prototype (1983) *''Missile Command'' (Atari) - 1981 *''Missile Control'' (Video Gems) *''Mission 3000 A.D.'' (Bit Corporation) *''Mission Survive'' (Video Gems) *''Mogul Maniac'' (Amiga) - 1983 *''Monster Cise'' (Atari) - Prototype *''Montezuma's Revenge: Starring Panama Joe'' (Parker Brothers) - 1984 *''Moon Patrol'' (Atari) - 1983 *''Moonsweeper'' (Imagic) - 1983 *''MotoRodeo'' (Atari) - 1990 *''Motocross Racer'' (Xonox) - 1984 *''Mountain King'' (CBS Electronics) - 1983 *''Mouse Trap'' (Coleco) - 1982 *''Mr. Do!'' (Coleco) - 1983 *''Mr. Do's Castle'' (Parker Brothers) - 1984 *''Mr. Postman'' (Bit Corporation) - 1983 *''Ms. Pac-Man'' (Atari) - 1983 *''My Golf'' (HES) - 1990 *''Mystery Science Theater 2600'' (Hozer) *''Mystic Castle'' (M-Network) *